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Executive Summary

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The retail food seasonings market, which includes herbs, spices, salt, and pepper, was valued at £84.6m in 1998. Value growth in 1998 has been negligible, increasing by only 0.6 percent on the 1997 market value, although between 1994 and 1998, market value increased by 10.7 percent.
Positive influences on the market have been the considerable increase in the range of seasonings now on offer in retail outlets, as cookery programmes and the popularity of ethnic cuisines has stimulated interest in more herbs and spices. Market growth, however, has been hampered by the increased consumer demands for convenience, which have led to a rapid increase in the sales of food products, such as ready meals and cooking sauces. At the same time, home cooking from scratch has been declining. New product developments (NPDs) are also adding herbs and spices to more processed foods, such as soups, cheeses, bread, meats, fish and ready meals, and affecting the sales of herbs and spices as cooking ingredients and seasonings.
The main sectors of the seasonings market are: dried herbs, spices and seasonings, with 43 percent of value sales in 1998; salt (23.8 percent); ground pepper (13.5 percent); curry powder (4 percent); fresh herbs and spices in oil (4.6 percent); and fresh herbs (11.1 percent). Sales of dried herbs, spices, and seasonings and curry powder have been affected by the growing household penetration of cooking sauces. One growth area has been fresh herbs and spices in oils, which have benefited from the demands for more convenience foods and the willingness of consumers to use more wet products. Volume consumption of salt is in long-term decline, although value sales growth has been maintained through NPD, such as rock salt and sea salt.
Traditionally, the UK has relied heavily on imported supplies for many of its spices and peppers, and this is still the case today. In 1998, imports of spices and peppers came to an estimated £62m, with exports at just £21m. Major sources of supply include India, Far Eastern countries and the US. Many herbs are still supplied from UK crops, while Cheshire remains the main salt-producing region.
Retail sales of seasonings are dominated by one company, McCormick (UK) PLC, through its Schwartz brand. The Schwartz brand claimed 52 percent of all retail sales in 1998, with own-label products taking another 41 percent. The seasonings sector, however, continues to attract new entrants. Current suppliers include some of the major food manufacturers (Tomkins, Heinz and HP Foods), food ingredients companies, specialist herb and spice suppliers, ethnic food companies and salt producers. Recent major new entrants include Bird's Eye with a range of frozen herbs, herb cubes under the Knorr brand and minced seasonings from John West Foods.
Sales growth is likely to remain modest in the next few years as the time spent on home cooking continues to decline. One growth market, however, will be herbs and spices in oils. Sales are forecast to increase by 2 percent to reach £86.3m in 1999. Between 1998 and 2003, growth is forecast to be 9.7 percent at current prices, with market value reaching £92.8m by 2003.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary

Market Definition

INTRODUCTION

MARKET SECTORS

MARKET POSITION

MARKET TRENDS

Table 1: Consumer Expenditure on Food Seasonings, Ready Meals and Cooking Sauces (£m), 1994-1998

Table 2: Estimated Ethnic Minority and White Population in Great Britain (000), 1996

Market Size

THE TOTAL MARKET

MARKET SECTORS

FOREIGN TRADE

Table 3: The Food Seasonings Market by Value (£m), 1994-1998

Table 4: The Food Seasonings Market by Sector (£m and percent), 1998

Table 5: Sales of Dried Herbs, Spices and Seasonings (£m), 1994-1998

Table 6: Sales of Salt (£m), 1994-1998

Table 7: Sales of Ground Pepper (£m), 1994-1998

Table 8: Overseas Trade in Peppers and Spices (£m), 1994-1998

Table 9: Overseas Trade in Peppers and Spices (million tonnes), 1994-1998

Table 10: Overseas Trade in Peppers and Spices by Main Product and Intra/Extra EU Trade (£000), 1997

Industry Background

RECENT HISTORY

INDUSTRY CONCENTRATION

EMPLOYMENT

DISTRIBUTION

TRADE ASSOCIATIONS

INTERNATIONAL FOOD EXHIBITION 1999

Table 11: Number of Enterprises in the Condiments and Seasonings Market by Turnover (number and percent), 1998

Table 12: Number of Local Manufacturing Units in the Condiments and Seasonings Market by Employment Size (number and percent), 1998

Table 13: Distribution of Food Seasonings ( percent share of retail sales), 1998

Competitor Analysis

THE MARKETPLACE

SELECTED MAJOR COMPANIES

ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION

Table 14: Selected Companies in the Food Seasonings Sector, 1999

Table 15: Selected Leading Companies in the Food Seasonings Market by Turnover (£m), 1997/1998

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT)

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

OPPORTUNITIES

THREATS

Buying Behaviour

HERBS AND SPICES

SALT

REGIONAL PATTERNS

Table 16: Consumption of Salt (grams per person per week), 1987-1997

Outside Suppliers to the Industry

INTRODUCTION

BRITISH HERBS TRADES ASSOCIATION

OVERSEAS GROWERS

EQUIPMENT SUPPLIERS

Current Issues

COMPANY DEVELOPMENTS

COMPETITORS TO TRADITIONAL SUPPLIERS

GENETICALLY-MODIFIED FOODS AND OTHER FOOD LEGISLATION ISSUES

Forecasts

FUTURE PROSPECTS

FORECASTS 1999 TO 2003

CORPORATE DEVELOPMENTS

Table 17: Forecast Food Seasonings Market by Value (£m), 1999-2003

Table 18: Forecast Market Segmentation by Category of the Food Seasonings Market ( percent), 2003

Company Profiles

INTRODUCTION

DEFINITIONS

FURTHER INFORMATION

Further Sources

ASSOCIATIONS

PERIODICALS

DIRECTORIES

GENERAL SOURCES

HBI UK INFORMATION SOURCES

GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS

OTHER SOURCES

Text © 1999 Key Note

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Last updated by Jacob van Eldik 19th January 2000